December 26, 2004 was an unforgettable day for all Sri Lankans as well as for the whole world. The tsunami tidal waves were caused by a series of earthquakes, measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale that occurred in the sea near Sumatra, Indonesia. The other neighbouring countries affected were Indonesia, India, the Maldives, and Thailand. Since many Sri Lankans did not have any previous experience of this nature, the damage caused to lives was unbelievable. Thousands of people were displaced and killed within a short time.
During that time, between 31,000 and 37,000 people were killed by drowning or debris impact, and nearly 100,000 houses destroyed along with tens of thousands of vehicles and much infrastructure. About 27,000 fatalities were fishermen, and two-thirds of the nation’s fishing boats were wrecked.
